---
title: News isn’t just new
description: Why did UK titles go so big on a NY helicopter crash?
---

[Media Hunter](https://www.hbmadvisory.com/media-hunter)

# [News isn’t just new](https://www.hbmadvisory.com/media-hunter/news-isnt-just-new)

 Written by [Alan Hunter](https://www.hbmadvisory.com/media-hunter/author/alan-hunter) | Apr 11, 2025, 4:00:00 PM

**Why did UK titles go so big on a NY helicopter crash?**

When a helicopter crashes into the Hudson River, killing six people, it’s big news. In New York. And, in the case of this week’s crash, in Spain, from where the victims came. But in the UK?

I ask because when I checked my phone before bed on Thursday night, the crash was prominently displayed on all the main UK news sites. The Guardian and The Sun were splashing on it; the Telegraph had it in its top three stories, The Times in the seventh slot.

This feels odd. It’s a tragic story but what does it mean to UK readers? Not much, I would guess, beyond the initial drama and feelings of sympathy for the victims. Speaking bluntly, it doesn’t affect people in the UK in any significant way whatsoever.

So why was the crash given such prominence online? Partly because all these titles are courting American audiences and have spent large sums of money to staff up teams across the Atlantic. This effort, I would argue, is mostly tilting at windmills, but that argument is for another day.

The crash also reflects an industry-wide issue relating to editorial judgments about online copy. Too often speed replaces reflection and the latest news is the most important. If something is new and dramatic, then news desks will get it up online asap.

I feel they would benefit from a pause to ask themselves: how important is this story to our readers? And then cover it appropriately, if at all. It was noticeable that the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal gave the crash less prominence than the UK titles – and it happened in their city.

The fact that in print The Times put the crash at the bottom of page 28 is rather revealing. When they took the time to really think about the story and its importance to readers, they decided it wasn’t really that significant after all.

Too often we cover news because it’s new, not because it’s relevant to our readers. This needs to change if we are to revive our collective fortunes.

[View full post](https://www.hbmadvisory.com/media-hunter/news-isnt-just-new)

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